Worksheets and Files

Session 1

Describe the 50 State Quarters® Program for background information, if necessary, using the example of your own state, if available. Locate South Dakota on a classroom map. Note its position in relation to your school’s location.

Display the “South Dakota Quarter Reverse” transparency or photocopy. Have the students identify and discuss the images, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Lead a class discussion regarding the presidents’ images. Display the images of Mount Rushmore. Explain to the students that the image of the Presidents on the coin is part of a monument (a reminder of someone or something notable, or a memorial stone or a building erected in remembrance of a person or event) called “Mount Rushmore.” Write the name “Mount Rushmore” above the term “monument” and its definition on chart paper.

Ask the students what all of these men have in common. Students should respond that they were all Presidents of the United States. Briefly discuss each president. Talk about when they were in office and what they are most known for.

On a piece of chart paper, create a timeline and as a class, write in the names of the presidents shown on Mount Rushmore according to when they were in office on the timeline (Washington 1789–1797, Jefferson 1801–1809, Lincoln 1861–1865, and Theodore Roosevelt 1901–1909). Add other facts about the men based on class discussions, such as:

Washington helped the nation achieve its independence from England.

Jefferson was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase and, as a result, doubled the size of the nation.

Roosevelt oversaw the completion of the Panama Canal, which connected the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Lincoln saw the nation through the Civil War and worked to keep the states together in one Union.

Discuss the meaning of the term “president,” directing them to realize that the nation’s president is the leader of all of the people of the country. Explain to the students that a president is much like the principal of a school, who leads the teachers and students. Ask the students who the current President of the United States is and add the name to the chart paper.

Create a class list of some of the jobs the nation’s president does and record them on chart paper.

As a class, discuss the term “government” (a group that makes laws and keeps order) and why it’s important for a country to have one.

Invite the students to brainstorm the names of other presidents with whom they may be familiar.

Session 2

Review the material covered in Session 1.

Introduce the students to the selected text about the government and its leaders. As a group, preview the text and illustrations to generate observations about what is occurring at different points in the text. Read the selected text to the class and attend to any unfamiliar vocabulary.

Explain to the students that our government has leaders, but also has three branches to divide up the work fairly and help protect the rights of the people. A document called the Constitution describes the job of each branch.

Distribute a “Three Branches Organizer” worksheet to each student. Explain that this is their note-taking guide.

Display the “Three Branches Organizer” overhead transparency. Fill in the information on the transparency during the following discussion. Review the term “government” and fill in the definition.

Tell the students that there are three “branches” or parts of our government.

The legislative branch makes the laws for the nation. The members of Congress are elected by the people. Congress is divided into two sections: Senators serve in the Senate and Representatives serve in the House of Representatives.

The executive branch carries out the laws. The President is in charge of this branch.

The judicial branch decides what the laws mean. The nine judges of the Supreme Court lead this branch.

Have the students get into pairs and briefly review and discuss the notes from the “Three Branches Organizer.”

Collect the students’ organizers.

Session 3

Redistribute the “Three Branches Organizer” to the students. Review the material covered in the first two sessions.

Display the “South Dakota Quarter Reverse” transparency or photocopy. Remind the students that Mount Rushmore is an example of a national monument, and of a symbol of patriotism.

On a piece of chart paper, write the term “symbol” and ask the students to give you a definition. (A symbol is something that stands for something else). Explain that many of our symbols are patriotic (showing love for our country).

As a class, brainstorm other symbols of patriotism found in the United States. Record student responses on the chart paper. Responses can include the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the bald eagle, the American flag, and the Statue of Liberty.

Review the answers as a class. Discuss where each symbol can be found in the United States, and why it is important to the people of this country.

Using the class discussion as a guide, have the students complete the building column of the “Three Branches Organizer.” (Capitol building for Legislative, White House for Executive, and Supreme Court Building for Judicial.)

Have the students write a paragraph summarizing why it’s important for our country to have patriotic symbols.

Collect the students’ worksheets.

Session 4

Review the charts and information from the previous sessions.

Tell the students they will be creating something to visually show what they have learned about the branches of government and symbols of our country.

Show the students the mobile created as a model. Explain to the students that the term “government” is at the top. The names of the three branches, duties, and leaders are all shown on the mobile.

Distribute the “Three Branches Organizer” and “Mobile Patterns” worksheets to the students. Explain that the mobile they will make will use these sheets.

Show the students the patterns for each part of the mobile. Explain that the patterns can be traced on construction paper and cut out, making three of each shape so that each branch has one of each shape. On each circle, they will write the name of a branch. The stars that hang below the circles will tell what person or group leads each branch and the term of office. The squares will show the branch’s duties. The students will draw the building in which each branch works on the triangles at the end of each set. Have them fill in the definition of the word “government” on the worksheet, cut out this box, and tape it to the top of the hanger as shown in the small diagram.

Have the scissors, construction paper, hole punch, coat hangers, and other supplies in a central location for student access.

Allow time for the students to complete and construct their mobiles.

Display the mobiles in the classroom.

Differentiated Learning Options

Allow students to use a scribe for written responses.

Prepare the written portions of the mobile ahead of time and students can cut and glue the words to the shapes.

Provide images of the federal buildings for the students to use in their mobiles.

Enrichments/Extensions

Have students sing patriotic songs such as “America the Beautiful” and “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Invite students to create a sculpture of their favorite United States President using modeling clay.

Have students find the size of parts of Mount Rushmore (i.e., Washington’s sculptured nose is 20 feet long). Create a list and use measuring tools to demonstrate how large those measurements actually are. Have them measure their own corresponding features and, in small groups, compare the size of an actual feature to the feature on the monument.

Tell the students that George Washington also oversaw the design and building of the White House. Explain to the students that the original stone that was used over 200 years ago to build the White House is still in place today. Lead the students on an exploration of the White House, past and present, at www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/.

Take anecdotal notes about the students’ participation in class discussions.

Evaluate the students’ worksheets and mobiles for achievement of the lesson’s objectives.

W.2.1. Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

W.2.2. Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

W.2.3. Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

RI.3.1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

RI.3.2. Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

RI.3.3. Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

W.3.4. With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3.)

W.3.5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3.)

W.3.6. With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.